Gulf warns over Israeli ‘escalation’

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia led Gulf warnings on Saturday of Israeli “escalation”, after Israel struck military targets in Iran, which backs Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Palestinian militants Hamas, already at war with Israel.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its condemnation and denunciation” of the Israeli strikes and emphasised its “firm position rejecting escalation of the conflict in the region”, which “threatens the security and the stability of countries and peoples” in the Middle East, the foreign ministry said on X.

Israel blamed “Iran and its proxies” for attacks on Israel, including an October 1 barrage of missiles fired by Iran in a direct attack against Israeli territory for which Israel had vowed retaliation.

Israel has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip for more than a year, and last month turned its focus to Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon where it escalated air strikes and sent in ground troops.

The Saudi foreign ministry called for “the international community and influential parties to assume their roles and responsibilities to reduce the escalation and end the conflicts in the region”.

Qatar, a mediator trying to end the Gaza war, expressed in a foreign ministry statement its “deep concern about the serious repercussions that may result from this escalation” by Israel on Saturday.

The United Arab Emirates also condemned Israel’s targeting of Iran and voiced “deep concern” for the “repercussions on regional security and stability”.

Oman, which has long played a mediating role between Iran and Western countries, said Israel’s attack on Iran “fuels the cycle of violence and undermines efforts” to de-escalate.

It said the international community should “put an end to these blatant violations on the territory of neighbouring countries”.

Kuwait’s foreign ministry also expressed condemnation and accused Israel of “endangering the security of the region”.